Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Tomatoes are supposed to be started on Valentines day, but I was a little too busy so I put it off till tonight. Annie and I were super excited to use our new soil blocker. Yes, my three year old knows what a soil blocker is. The question is do you? If you don't, be prepared to fall in love with a new way of seed starting. I read about these online on a blog no less and couldn't believe how cool they are, so of coarse I ordered one. It came in the mail after I started our Pansies and Impatiens. Which I'm kind of glad. This way I was able to do both, and I have to say not dealing with plastic trays is awesome, and never having to buy another plastic tray has me smiling.You can fit 50 blocks per pan verses the traditional plastic tray of 36 per pan, and when you only have so much lighting available every square inch counts.Last year I did peat pellets and hated it. They really don't offer a well rounded nutrient base for your seeds. Plus you have to buy new pellets every year, and that netting around them does not disintegrate like they say it should.The plants do not get "pot bound," because there is no pot. The roots are naturally "air trimmed."The plants do not go through shock when they are transferred into the ground either because you do not have to loosen the root ball, just place the soil block directly into the ground.

So here it is:

My soil blocker makes four 2" blocks each fill.

Here's one block up close. The blocker makes an indentation in the top to place your seeds inside.

After seeing me make a few blocks Annie tells me, "Mommy, I will do the messy part."

Needless to say, she had a lot of fun.

Yes, she threw that fist full of mud at me, and no I did not get mad. It was funny.

Tray ready for seeds.

Our treasure box of seeds. Annie and I love to spend time looking at all the packages. Many of which I save and refill with seeds after we harvest. This way I don't have to make new packages, remember the exact names, or growing info.

1 comments:

that's SO COOL!!! i've always used peat pots so i can just plop the whole thing in the ground, but wow... you've got me thinking! we haven't even built our raised beds yet at the new house, so seed starting is kind of a hopeful thing for me to do. good luck with your tomatoes & your super cool blocks! : )

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About Me

Maddie

I was a single mom with one little girl up until last year when I met a man from Texas. He swept me off my feet and I suddenly found myself married with two adorable little girls. I now spend my days trying to juggle a baby, a four year old and a husband who thinks I'm slightly crazy.